05/04/2014

King Lear

Bell Shakespeare, 2010

Photo
by Wendy McDougall for Bell
Shakespeare.

Bell
Shakespeare’s 20th anniversary production was a sparse staging of
this popular tragedy. Beautifully minimalist, John Bell’s Lear raged with all
the futility of man against the storm as the revolving platform spun and spun
and spun, as Bree van Reyk’s percussion whipped and buffeted them, stripping Lear
and his Fool to their cores. While it didn’t quite hit the heights expected of
it, it was nonetheless a poetic and strong production, suitably majestic as
befitted the occasion.